Floor Panel Joint System Vertical Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flooring panel joint systems face challenges in providing effective vertical locking and resistance to separation, especially in thin panels made from materials like vinyl and PVC, which are prone to decoupling due to temperature changes and uneven substrates.
Innovation Solution
The development of a vertical joint system with male and female parts featuring protrusions and recesses that form locking planes perpendicular to the panel surfaces, including a unique configuration with overhangs and gaps to resist separation and accommodate dimensional changes, ensuring secure engagement and disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional tongue and groove joint systems are used in thin panels, then the panels can be easily manufactured and installed, but the panels are prone to decoupling and separation due to temperature changes and uneven substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The joint system is divided into distinct male and female parts with separate functional zones: engagement surfaces for initial connection, locking planes for vertical stability, and overhang regions for lateral restraint. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally, preventing decoupling while maintaining ease of installation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from traditional horizontal tongue-and-groove engagement to a three-dimensional joint system that utilizes vertical locking planes and lateral overhangs. By adding vertical and lateral dimensions to the joint geometry, the system provides multi-directional restraint against separation forces caused by thermal expansion and substrate irregularities
2Reliability
If vertical joint systems with complex locking mechanisms are implemented, then resistance to separation is improved, but the complexity of the joint system increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple joint functions are merged into a single integrated male-female interface: engagement surfaces provide initial connection, locking planes ensure vertical stability, and overhang regions prevent lateral separation. This consolidation achieves high reliability without requiring multiple separate components or complex assembly steps
Solution Approach 2:
The locking planes are configured with specific angular orientations and curved surfaces that naturally guide the panels into proper alignment during installation. The geometry itself provides the locking action through angular interlocking, eliminating the need for additional mechanical fasteners or adjustment mechanisms
3Quantity of substance
If panels are made thinner to reduce material usage and cost, then material efficiency improves, but the panels become more susceptible to decoupling and joint failure
Solution Approach 1:
The joint system compensates for reduced panel thickness by introducing vertical locking planes and lateral overhangs that distribute stresses across multiple dimensions. This three-dimensional engagement prevents stress concentration at the joint interface, maintaining connection strength despite thinner panel construction
Solution Approach 2:
The joint system creates a composite structure where the male and female parts form an integrated load-bearing assembly. The interlocking geometry combines the mechanical strength of both panels into a unified joint that exceeds the strength of individual thin panels, enabling reliable connections in thin-panel applications
4Reliability
If locking planes with overhangs are configured to resist separation, then joint stability is improved, but the engagement and disengagement process becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The joint system incorporates controlled flexibility through the interaction of locking planes and overhangs, allowing dynamic adjustment during engagement. The geometry permits smooth insertion through elastic deformation and stress distribution, while maintaining rigid locked positioning once engaged, and enables controlled disengagement through systematic force application
Data Source
Figure 1a~1f
Figure 2~4c
Figure 5
AI summary
A panel 10 is formed with first and second joint systems 20 and 22 to enable engagement of a plurality of panels 10 along their sides 16 and 18. The first joint system 20 has a laterally extending tongue 24a along one longitudinal side 16a and a groove 24b along an opposite longitudinal side 16b. The second joint system 22 is a vertical joint system having mutually engageable male and female parts Jm and Jf respectively. The male part Jm is formed on one transverse the side 18a, while the female part Jf is formed on an opposite transverse side 18b.